How to Promote Eco-Apparel? Effects of Eco-Labels and Message Framing

The study investigates the potential effects of eco-labels and advertisement message framings for promoting consumer attitude on eco-apparel consumption. Furthermore, this paper examines how consumers’ attitudes towards the brand and advertisement affect consumers’ evaluation of brand equity in sustainable brands. Using non-probability sampling with college students and Amazon Mturkers, the authors developed the proposed hypotheses with 2 (Eco-label- Absence vs. Presence) x 2 (Framed Messages- Positive vs. Negative) between-subject design on consumers’ attitudes toward the brand, advertisement, and evaluation of brand equity. To test hypotheses, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and a series of simple regressions were performed. Results revealed that the eco-label did not significantly increase consumers’ attitude toward the eco-apparel brand, leading to no interaction effect between eco-label and message framing on consumer attitude. However, message framing was effectively applied as positive messages were significantly associated with consumers’ attitudes toward the brand, the advertisement, and consumers’ evaluation of brand equity in the context of eco-apparel brands. This study simultaneously examines the eco-label and message framings on consumers’ attitudes toward the advertisements, consumers’ attitudes toward the brand, and their evaluations of brand equity in the eco-apparel context.